Govt urged to step up HIV, TB, malaria fight

By Ann Zulu

GOVERNMENT has been implored to scale up its efforts and invest in eradicating HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria in the country.

Community Initiative for Tuberculosis, HIV and Malaria Plus (CITAMplus)-Zambia policy and advocacy officer Nathan Nhlane observed that HIV, TB and malaria had continued to claim more lives in Zambia.

Mr. Nhlane noted that Zambia was not an exception to the predicament, urging Government to ensure that such health issues were urgently addressed.

“AIDS, TB and malaria have taken, and continue to take, an incredible toll. AIDS alone has stolen the lives of 35 million people, and continues to take 1.1 million people each year. TB takes 1.3 million lives each year, down from about 2 million per year and is the biggest infectious killer on the planet.

“As CITAMplus we feel that such urgent health issues need to be addressed, and we wish to implore the new Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya to work towards addressing such issues,” Mr. Nhlane said.

He also pointed out that there was need for the Zambian Government to join other governments around the world in funding the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria.

Mr. Nhlane said this was an opportunity for Zambia to work with leaders from across the globe to end an incredible amount of death and suffering by fully funding the Global Fund’s $13 billion budget.

He said the funding was needed to save lives and prevent new infections in future.

“The Global Fund must be fully funded and we need to be focused on rallying our Government and the rest of the world to come up with US$13 billion for the Global Fund, which has saved 17 million lives since 2002.

‘‘The Global Fund needs that money to save an additional 8 million lives as well as prevent 300 million new infections in the next three years.

“We call on the new Minister of Health to step up, join arms, and get the job done in pledging towards the Global Fund generously. Several countries have announced generous contributions.

‘‘In the last few days, there have been pledges coming from African countries such as Kenya (USD 5 million), Benin (USD 2 million) and Zimbabwe (USD1 million),” he said.